In the computer industry, there is a continual movement to higher computing power and speed. Microprocessors are being made with smaller and smaller feature sizes to increase calculation speeds. Consequently, power flux is increased and more heat is generated per unit area of the microprocessor. As the heat output of the microprocessors increases, heat or “thermal management” becomes more of a challenge.
One aspect of thermal management is known in the industry as a “thermal interface material” or “TIM” whereby such a material is placed between a heat source, such as a microprocessor, and a heat dissipation device to facilitate the heat transfer. Such TIMs may be in the form of a grease, clay or a sheet-like material. These thermal interface materials are also used to eliminate any insulating air between the microprocessor and heat dissipation device.
An example of a TIM includes thermally conductive clays. Thermally conductive clays are generally “soft” with highly conformable properties. They can be easily formed and adhered to most surfaces, shapes and sizes of components using a very low compression force. Thermally conductive clays can be used to fill air gaps between components or printed circuit boards (PCBs) and heat sinks, metal enclosures and chasses. Thermally conductive clays are currently designed to provide a thermal solution for the recent trends of integrating higher frequency electronics into smaller devices.
TIMs typically are used to thermally connect a heat source to a heat spreader, that is, a thermally conductive plate larger than the heat source, in which case they are referred to as TIM Is. TIMs may also be employed between a heat spreader and a thermal dissipation device such as a cooling device or a finned heat sink in which case such TIMs are referred to as TIM Hs. TIMs may be present in one or both locations in a particular installation.